Engineering

Master of Science (Electronics and Instrumentation)

The Master of Science in Electronics and Instrumentation is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in electronic systems, instrumentation design, and control engineering. The programme combines electronic engineering with measurement science and control systems.

Core areas include electronic circuit design, instrumentation systems, control systems, signal processing, embedded systems, sensors and transducers, data acquisition, microcontrollers, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both electronic theory and practical instrumentation design and application.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University. KU is a public university offering the programme over two academic years through full-time mode of study.

Students develop competencies in electronic circuit design, instrumentation system design, control system analysis, signal processing, embedded systems programming, sensor technology, data acquisition, and research methods. The programme includes coursework, laboratory practicals, examinations, and thesis.

KU charges approximately KES 326,400/year for science-based masters programmes. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronic engineering, physics, or related fields with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as instrumentation engineers, control systems engineers, electronic design engineers, automation specialists, test engineers, and lecturers in electronics and instrumentation engineering across manufacturing, telecommunications, and research sectors.

Skills Required

Electronic Circuit Design and Analysis
Instrumentation System Design
Control Systems Engineering
Digital Signal Processing
Embedded Systems Programming
Sensor and Transducer Technology
Data Acquisition Systems
Microcontroller Programming
Research Methods in Electronics
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Advanced Electronic Circuit Design
Instrumentation and Measurement Systems
Control Systems Engineering
Digital Signal Processing
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Sensors and Transducers
Data Acquisition and Processing
Industrial Automation and PLC
Research Methods in Electronics
Thesis Research

Certifications

EBK Professional Registration
IEEE Professional Membership

Specializations

Control Systems Engineering

Focuses on control systems, covering control theory, feedback control, process control, and managing control system design.

Instrumentation Design

Examines instrumentation design, covering sensor design, measurement systems, instrument calibration, and managing instrumentation systems.

Embedded Systems

Covers embedded systems, covering microcontroller programming, real-time systems, firmware design, and managing embedded systems development.

Digital Signal Processing

Focuses on DSP, covering signal analysis, filter design, signal processing algorithms, and managing DSP applications.

Industrial Automation

Examines industrial automation, covering PLC programming, SCADA systems, process automation, and managing industrial automation.

Biomedical Instrumentation

Covers biomedical instrumentation, covering medical devices, biomedical sensors, patient monitoring, and managing biomedical instrumentation.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 326,400
Job market: Moderate

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Electronic Circuit Design
Instrumentation and Measurement Systems
Control Systems Engineering
Digital Signal Processing
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Sensors and Transducers
Data Acquisition and Processing
Industrial Automation and PLC
Research Methods in Electronics
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Electronic Circuit Design
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines analogue circuits, digital circuits, circuit analysis, circuit simulation, and managing electronic circuit design.
Instrumentation and Measurement Systems
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers sensor technology, measurement systems, instrument calibration, signal conditioning, and managing instrumentation systems.
Control Systems Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines control theory, feedback control, process control, system stability, and managing control system design.
Research Methods in Electronics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting electronics research, preparing students for their thesis.
Digital Signal Processing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers signal analysis, filter design, signal processing algorithms, spectral analysis, and managing DSP applications.
Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines microcontroller programming, real-time systems, firmware design, interfacing, and managing embedded systems development.
Sensors and Transducers
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers sensor types, transducer design, sensor calibration, sensor interfacing, and managing sensor technology.
Data Acquisition and Processing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines DAQ systems, data logging, data processing, data analysis, and managing data acquisition systems.
Industrial Automation and PLC
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers PLC programming, SCADA systems, process automation, industrial control, and managing industrial automation.
VLSI Design
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines VLSI design, IC design, digital design, FPGA programming, and managing VLSI design projects.
Research Seminar
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal and thesis, including research design, literature review, methodology, and presentation.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on an electronics and instrumentation topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and electronics knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Control Systems Engineering
Focuses on control systems, covering control theory, feedback control, process control, and managing control system design.
Instrumentation Design
Examines instrumentation design, covering sensor design, measurement systems, instrument calibration, and managing instrumentation systems.
Embedded Systems
Covers embedded systems, covering microcontroller programming, real-time systems, firmware design, and managing embedded systems development.
Digital Signal Processing
Focuses on DSP, covering signal analysis, filter design, signal processing algorithms, and managing DSP applications.
Industrial Automation
Examines industrial automation, covering PLC programming, SCADA systems, process automation, and managing industrial automation.
Biomedical Instrumentation
Covers biomedical instrumentation, covering medical devices, biomedical sensors, patient monitoring, and managing biomedical instrumentation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Electronics and Instrumentation programme combines lectures, laboratory practicals, project work, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover electronic circuit design, instrumentation, control systems, signal processing, and embedded systems. Circuit design sessions examine analogue circuits, digital circuits, circuit analysis, circuit simulation, and managing electronic circuit design. Instrumentation sessions cover sensor technology, measurement systems, instrument calibration, signal conditioning, and managing instrumentation systems. Control systems sessions cover control theory, feedback control, process control, system stability, and managing control system design. Signal processing sessions cover digital signal processing, filter design, signal analysis, spectral analysis, and managing DSP applications. Embedded systems sessions cover microcontroller programming, real-time systems, firmware design, interfacing, and managing embedded systems. Sensor sessions cover sensor types, transducer design, sensor calibration, sensor interfacing, and managing sensor technology. Data acquisition sessions cover DAQ systems, data logging, data processing, data analysis, and managing data acquisition. Automation sessions cover PLC programming, SCADA systems, process automation, industrial control, and managing industrial automation. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Laboratory practicals provide hands-on experience with circuit design, instrumentation, programming, and laboratory techniques. Project work provides practical experience with system design, implementation, testing, and project management. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in electronics and instrumentation. Guest lectures from experienced engineers, industry professionals, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on an electronics and instrumentation topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for electronics and instrumentation professionals in Kenya's expanding manufacturing, telecommunications, and automation sectors.
Programme combines electronics with instrumentation and control, providing versatile engineering skills.
Programme covers modern technologies including embedded systems, DSP, VLSI, and industrial automation.
Skills are transferable globally, with opportunities in diverse industries and countries.

Against it

Programme is offered by only one university (KU), limiting institutional choice.
No private university confirmed offering this programme, limiting options.
KU fees are relatively high at approximately KES 326,400/year.
Programme requires strong mathematics and physics background, which may be challenging for some students.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 332 engineering courses

Public296k to 326k

296k at Kenyatta University326k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 295,800/yr verified. JKUAT unverified. Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. EBK may provide training support for engineering professionals. IEEE may provide training support and grants for electronics engineers. Some technology companies and engineering firms may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
EBK Training Support
IEEE Training Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
EBK Training Support
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
Engineers Board of Kenya supports training for engineering professionals.
IEEE Training Support
GrantKsh 200,000
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers provides training support and grants for electronics engineers in developing countries.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in electrical engineering, electronic engineering, physics, or related field. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework20% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, project reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering circuit design, instrumentation, control systems, signal processing, and embedded systems.
Practical and Laboratory Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Practical assessment through laboratory exercises, circuit design projects, programming projects, system implementation, and demonstrating electronics skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an electronics and instrumentation topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and electronics knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kenyatta University (public) offers MSc in Electronics and Instrumentation. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in electronics and instrumentation. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional registration and IEEE professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Kenyatta University (public) offers MSc in Electronics and Instrumentation. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in electronics and instrumentation. Graduates are eligible for EBK professional registration and IEEE professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Instrumentation Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs and manages instrumentation systems, overseeing sensor systems, measurement systems, and managing instrumentation engineering.
Control Systems Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs and manages control systems, overseeing control design, process control, and managing control systems engineering.
Electronic Design Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs electronic circuits and systems, overseeing circuit design, PCB design, and managing electronic design engineering.
Automation Specialist
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 650,000
Manages automation systems, overseeing PLC programming, SCADA systems, process automation, and managing industrial automation.
Test Engineer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages testing of electronic systems, overseeing test design, test automation, quality assurance, and managing test engineering.
Electronics Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches electronics and instrumentation at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, laboratory supervision, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

MATLAB
SoftwarePrimary
MATLAB software for signal processing, control system design, data analysis, and managing electronic system simulation.
Proteus
Software
Proteus software for circuit simulation and PCB design, covering circuit design, simulation, PCB layout, and managing electronic design.
Arduino IDE
Software
Arduino IDE for microcontroller programming, covering embedded programming, prototyping, and managing embedded systems development.
LabVIEW
Software
LabVIEW software for data acquisition and instrument control, covering DAQ, instrument interfacing, and managing measurement systems.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Electronics and instrumentation is just about repairing electronic devices.
Electronics and instrumentation covers comprehensive system design including circuit design, control systems, signal processing, and embedded systems for advanced applications.
This programme is only for electrical engineers.
Electronics and instrumentation skills are valuable in manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, research, and any organisation dealing with electronic systems and measurement.
Electronics has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With growing manufacturing, telecommunications, and automation sectors, demand for electronics and instrumentation professionals is increasing in Kenya.
This programme is not relevant to modern challenges.
Electronics and instrumentation is critical to automation, IoT, Industry 4.0, renewable energy, and technological advancement.
Instrumentation is just about measuring things.
Instrumentation covers comprehensive measurement science including sensor design, signal conditioning, data acquisition, and system integration for industrial and research applications.
Control systems are only for industrial applications.
Control systems are used in diverse applications including automotive, aerospace, robotics, biomedical, and consumer electronics.